Shell-insert combination



Nov. 16, 1965 P. BROWNSTEIN SHELL-INSERT COMBINATION Filed April 15, 1964 MA J04,

United States Patent ()ffice 3,217,450 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 3,217,450 SHELL-INSERT COMBINATION Paul Brownstein, 2320 Beverwil Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,219 3 Claims. (Cl. 52-213) The present invention relates to a housing which is adapted to be mounted in the wall or side of a building, or structure, so as to receive an air conditioner, or similar unit; and its relates more particularly to an improved housing-insert combination, which includes a box-like insert for enclosing the housing until the aforesaid unit is installed.

The improved housing-insert combination of the present invention is particularly useful for providing a means for mounting an air conditioning unit in the wall of a building, and it will be described in such an environment. It is to be understood, however, that the improved combination of the invention is not limited to such a use.

In the early days of air conditioning, it was usual to market individual air conditioning units which could be mounted directly in the window of the room to be air conditioned. Such units are still available. However, in newly constructed, or remodeled buildings in which individual air conditioning units are to be installed, it is usual to provide receptacles in the sides of the building to receive and mount the units.

These receptacles usually take the form of a rectangular opening extending through the side of the building, and an open sided housing formed, for example, of sheet metal is used to frame the opening. It has been found neces sary, however, to close the aforesaid openings during the construction of the building and until the air conditioning unit is actually installed.

Such closures. are needed so as to hold the sheet metal frames rigid during the construction period, and also to keep the inner surfaces of the frame clean and free from plaster, and other extraneous matter. In addition, the openings should be closed so as to discourage possible intruders.

In the prior art, it was the usual practice to provide separate inner and outer sheet metal covers for the openings. These covers were screwed, or otherwise locked into place.

However, the prior art covers mentioned in the preceding paragraph were found to be relatively fragile and subject to warpage, so that they normally did not provide an adequate support for the sheet metal frame. Also, the prior art covers proved diflicult to remove, and once removed were almost impossible to replace, should replacement be necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved shell-insert combination of the general type discussed above and which may be constructed easily and inexpensively, and which may be conveniently sold as a single package.

A general object of the invention is to provide such an improved shell-insert combination which is inherently a rigid structure and which is not susceptible to deformation or warpage during the construction of the building in which the combination is used.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved shell-insert combination in which the insert is a hollow three-dimensional structure which extends into the shell, and which is easily removable from the shell and easily reinsertable into the shell whenever desired.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an improved combination in which the aforesaid insert fits snugly into the aforesaid shell to maintain the inner surface of the shell clean and free from plaster, or other extraneous material, during the construction of the building.

As will be described, the improved shell-insert combination of the invention is adaptable for use with dry wall or plaster walls. Also, the housing-insert combination can be constructed so that the insert is flush with the edges of the shell, or so that one or both sides of the insert are recessed with respect to the shell.

A feature of the invention is that both the insert and the shell are of one-piece construction. This facilitates the fabrication of the units.

It is sometimes desirable to recess the inner side of the insert with respect to the housing, as will be described, so as to permit the insert to be locked into the shell to prevent burglaries, and to facilitate the removal of the insert, especially when the assembly is covered with plaster. The recessed construction of the insert permits a knife edge to be conveniently drawn around the margin of the insert so as to free the plaster and enable the insert to be removed.

As will become evident, the improved combination of the invention can be used in conjunction with the housing of any type of equipment which is to be installed at a later date. This includes, for example, in addition to air conditioning units, aircraft parts, appliances, motors, ship parts, and so on.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, when the description is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a portion of the outside wall of a building, and illustrating the housing-insert combination of the invention mounted in place in that wall;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a sheet metal housing, constructed to be mounted in the side of a building,

- so as to receive an air conditioner unit, or the like;

FIGURE 3 is a box-like insert, constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention, and which is adapted to be fitted into the housing of FIGURE 2, so as to enclose and support the housing until an air conditioner, or other unit, is mounted therein; and

FIGURE 4 is a box-like insert, constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

The shell of FIGURE 2 is designated 10. As shown, the shell has open sides, and a rectangular configuration. At present, it is preferably made of a single strip of sheet metal. However, the shell can be composed of plastic, or any other suitable material. The shell 10 is adapted to be mounted in an opening in the side of a building, or other structure, such as in the side 12 of FIGURE 1. The shell 10 includes flanges 14 adjacent its forward side, so as to facilitate its mounting.

It will be appreciated that when the shell 10 is mounted in place, its thickness corresponds to the thickness of the wall in which it is mounted, so as to form a frame for the opening in the wall. The shell 10, when so mounted, therefore, forms a receptacle for receiving an air conditioner unit, or other unit, or the like.

During the construction of the building, it is essential that the shell 10 be held in a rigid condition, and that it be closed, so as to prevent materials, such as plaster, from getting on the inside surface of the shell and hardening.

For that purpose, and in accordance with the concepts of the invention, a rectangular insert 16 is provided. This insert has a hollow box-like configuration, and it may have an open top and an open bottom. The insert, at present, is formed from a single strip of sheet metal. However, the insert, likewise, can be made of plastic or any other suitable material. The insert 16 is adapted to slide into the interior of the shell 10. When the insert 16 is in place, its walls 18 and 20 extend across the open sides of the shell, so as to close the sides of the shell.

It will be appreciated that when the insert 18 is in place, the shell is held as a rigid structure, and also the interior of the shell is completely closed.

In addition to supporting the shell 10, and in maintain' ing the internal surfaces thereof clean and free from extraneous material, the insert 16 also serves as an enclosure, so as to discourage intruder-s from gaining an entrance to the building through the shell 10.

If so desired, and as shown in FIGURE 4, the inner wall 20, for example, of the insert 16 may be recessed. A flange 22 is provided around the periphery of the insert; and any suitable locking means, such as screws 24 may be screwed through the flange into the shell to hold the insert in place in the housing. This latter embodiment, as mentioned above, provides an essentially burglar-proof structure. In some applications the insert of FIGURE 4 with its recessed wall may take the form of a recessed lid.

As mentioned above, the shell-insert combination of the invention may be used in a wide variety of constructions. For example, it may be used in conjunction with plaster, in which case the plaster may be extended completely over the inner surface of the combination, to be subsequently removed. Also, the shell-insert combination may be used in conjunction with dry Wall construction, or any other type.

Whenever it is desired to remove the insert, it is merely necessary to disconnect locking means that may be used, and then merely to push the insert out through the shell, so that the air conditioner unit, or other unit, may be installed.

The invention provides, therefore, a simple and inexpensive shell-insert combination for use in building construction. When so used, the combination provides a convenient and rigid means for providing a receptacle for an air conditioner unit, or the like, and of providing an enclosure for the receptacle until it is needed.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made.

The following claims are intended to cover such modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. A shell-insert combination to be mounted in a rectangular opening in a wall, said combination including: a frame for the opening forming a receptacle for an air conditioner, or the like, said frame being composed of a strip of material of a selected width corresponding to the thickness of the wall and folded to form an open-sided shell of rectangular configuration having a peripheral flange adjacent one of the open sides and disposed in a plane parallel to the plane thereof; and a hollow insert for said frame to enclose said frame and hold said frame rigid, said insert being formed of a strip of material folded to provide a rigid structure having spaced and parallel side walls and an open top and bottom, said insert being dimensioned to fit into said framewith said side walls respectively enclosing the open sides of the aforesaid shell, and said insert further having means for holding saidwalls in a spaced and parallel relationship and to form a rigid structure for said insert.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said frame and insert are formed of strips of sheet metal.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said insert is formed to define a peripheral flange around one of said side walls and extending outwardly from the plane of such side wall, and which includes locking means for the insert extending through said last named flange and into said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,630,906 5/1927 Ricken 52-35 XR 1,632,431 6/1927 Brown 52-221 XR 1,815,855 7/1931 Lauritano 52-27 2,107,145 2/1938 Davis et al 52206 2,352,714 7/1944 Huyssen 52221 XR FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD W. COOKE, Ir., Examiner. 

1. A SHELL-INSERT COMBINATION TO BE MOUNTED IN A RECTANGULAR OPENING IN A WALL, SAID COMBINATION INCLUDING: A FRAME FOR THE OPENING FORMING A RECEPTACLE FOR AN AIR CONDITIONER, OR THE LIKE, SAID FRAME BEING COMPOSED OF A STRIP OF MATERIAL OF A SELECTED WIDTH CORRESPONDING TO THE THICKNESS OF THE WALL AND FOLDED TO FORM AN OPEN-SIDED SHELL OF RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION HAVING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE ADJACENT ONE OF THE OPEN SIDES AND DISPOSED IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE PLANE THEREOF; AND A HOLLOW INSERT FOR SAID FRAME TO ENCLOSE SAID FRAME AND HOLD SAID FRAME RIGID, SAID INSERT BEING FORMED OF A STRIP OF MATERIAL FOLDED TO PROVIDE A RIGID STRUCTURE HAVING SPACED AND PARALLEL 